The North Calls Forth It's Son
by The Flying Donkey
Summary: A look at a very different Jon who's had the old gods hand twiddle with his fate.
1. Chapter 1

Tiny snowflakes drifted through the gods wood, swaying the heart trees leave back in forth with increasing speed, a storm was approaching. A young man slender in build with long dark brown hair was sitting on a rock facing the heart tree, that man was the bastard of the north. No one could understand why the bastard would sit their during a storm.

"Boy stop praying and get inside!" shouted Clyde he was an enraged servant who had a round belly, bald head, and a bushy beard.

The boy turned his head to face the servant, but he spoke no words.

"Are you deaf boy? We need to get inside before this storm takes us!" Shouted Clyde as he looked up at the clouds trying to see how close the true storm was. Clyde muttered under his breath stupid bastard as he went over to grab ahold of Jon's shoulder.

"Why did you come out into the storm?" asked Jon with a frown on his face while twisting his body away from Clyde's grasp.

"Boy we need to get inside now! I won't be having your father take me head tonight." Shouted Clyde as the snow began to wrap itself around Jon making it appear as if it was a blanket trying to keep him warm.

"No. I have yet to finish my prayer." Said Jon as if he was explaining to a child that the sky was blue.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about? If we don't get inside the castle we'll surely die." All the snow that had blanketed Jon launched itself onto Clyde, swiftly covering his mouth silencing his whimpers.

Jon watched in pure horror as the snow suffocated Clyde.

"Old gods the only true gods I ask of you to release this man. He does not know your true power! I beg mercy, please let this man go and I will serve you faithfully until the last day you see fit to give me." Shouted Jon into the storm while clutching a hand on the heart tree.

The snow that covered Clyde's mouth melted away. Clyde took in a deep breath, he turned his head to look at Jon and whispered the thank you, and shortly after those words were spoken passed out.

Jon allowed a small smile to grace his lips and nodded to Clyde.

"Come north and see." Whispered a soft voice.

"Who's there?" asked a confused Jon, as he searched around the god woods hoping to find Theon or Rob trying to play a joke on him.

"Fufill your promise or the whole north will suffer. Come north and see." Whispered the soft voice again as a breeze passed by.

After one of the many of the norths summer storms passed the lord of Winterfell went out to make sure all of his people were safe in shelter or at the very least their families could mourn them properly.

Lord Stark gathered his guards and began to walk through the snow at a slow pace to make sure that did not miss anyone buried beneath it.

"Fuckin hell my balls are gonna be frozen off before we get anywhere at this pace." Complained a young guard named Heath. He was tall well-built man, with blond short hair and the beginnings of a beard.

"Shut up! March no ones paying you to think only to keep putting one foot in front of the other." Said Captain of the guard Jory.

Heath was about to make a remark that would surely make him clean out the horse stalls till the long night would come again. When the remark was on the tip of his tongue a movement on his far right grabbed his attention.

"My Lord, I think someone is out in the gods wood." Said Heath through clattering teeth.

Lord Stark turned his head towards the gods wood and caught sight of his son Jon attempting to lite a fire. With haste Lord Stark began sprinting towards the gods wood he needed to make sure that Jon was okay.

Jon looked towards his pitiful excuse of a fire and decide he would waste no more time trying to lite it with the high winds that kept on suffocating the flame. Clyde who was laying imbedded on the snow began to shiver even more than before, Jon had to make a decision. He had to ask himself if he should give his coat to Clyde and hope that they would be found or just keep it for himself. Jon decided that the honorable thing to do was give his coat away and make it so a man did not have to suffer in his final moments. As Jon laid his coat across Clyde he whispered that he was sorry if he would have just waited in the kitchen with all of the other children this man would not be suffering, but how could he have when he heard what Lady Stark said that it would have been a blessing by the seven if Jon where to disappear into one of the many storms. As a tear began to fall down Jon's check without any of his permission he reached his hand up to wipe it away. Loud footsteps began to echo all around Jon, Jon toke up a defensive stance in case an animal was to attack.

Before Jon had a chance to do anything two strong arms wrapped around him. Jon hesitated for a second than he embraced the hug after his father's scent hit him. Lord Stark turned Jon's head back and forth checking him for any injuries.

"What in the seven hells where you doing out here boy?" asked Lord Stark with concern lacing his voice.

"I was just praying to the old gods father. Clyde found me out here and he took the worst of the storm he needs a maester father." Said Jon as he pointed to where Clyde's body was so the guards could carry him.

"Foolish boy you can pray to them any other time than during a storm I taught you better than that." Scolded Lord Stark with a scowl on his face.

"I am sorry father." Said Jon while he looked down at his boots.

"Guards take that man to the maester and after check on all the small settlements near Winterfell." Commanded Lord Stark as he put a hand on Jon's shoulder lightly pushing him towards the castle.


	2. Visons Or Dreams

Shortly after Lord Stark lead Jon to castle he gave him orders to stay in his room for the rest of the night. Jon knew that he couldn't stay put for the night he needed to make sure Clyde was okay. All of the harm that befall him was Jon's fault. Opening his door and looking out into the hallway Jon saw that the way was clear of servants and he could start heading towards maester Luwin's room. Before Jon could reach and knock on the door the maestar called out for him to come inside.

"How did you know I was outside?" asked Jon with confusion.

"I could hear you walking from all the way down the hall. You need to work on your footwork if you want to be a good soldier." answered Maester Luwin with a light chuckle.

"Is Clyde going to be okay?" asked Jon as he looked over to the bed where Clyde was covered in furs.

"In time he should heal. You did a kind but very stupid gesture towards him. How would you have survived if your father did not find you? Even if he was just a little bit latter you could have gotten frostbite or worse." Scolded Maester Luwin.

"I am sorry. I just wanted to help him." Said Jon while he looked at his boots he should have known better, Robb would have known better hell even Theon would have known.

"While you're here why don't you help me, and fetch that bowl of water and help him drink it." Said Maestar Luwin as he began to walk around the room tidying it up.

Jon grabbed the bowl of water and walked over to were Clyde was sleeping and gently shock his shoulders to wake him up.

"Would you like some water?" asked Jon.

Clyde nodded his head yes. Jon raised the bowl up and began to slowly pour the water into Clyde's mouth. Clyde waved his hand in a back and forth motion to indicate to Jon that he was done drinking.

"I had a horrible dream in which I was drowning and each time I thought I could finally breathe again I was dragged down by my ankles to the bottom of the sea. At the bottom there was no sand or sea life only corpses covered in a thick layer of ice." Said Clyde as a shiver slide down his spine as he retold the tale.

"The important thing is that you are okay." Said Jon as he set down the bowl and began to walk away.

As soon as Jon was in the hallway he began to sprint towards his room. Where the old gods giving Clyde a message to send to Jon or was it just a dream.

Throughout the night Jon could not get any rest every time he closed his eyes death greeted him with a feral smile. In the dream he had his own family and was lord of a small holding, his wife and daughter were raped before his very eyes. He cried for them to stop and to leave his family alone but the captures only laughed as they stabbed him over and over again.

Jon never thought he would want to have a family to give a child the name Snow. When he woke up each time he cried as if he were a newborn babe. After laying in his bed past first morning light a knock was heard upon his door. Jon got up to answer the door and was greeted with the sight of Robb.

"Are you coming to breakfast or not Snow? I will not save your food from Bran and Rickon if you wait any longer." Jested Robb as he lightly punched Jon's shoulder.

Jon nodded his head and quickly got dressed he did not want to miss another meal his body surely could not handle missing three in a row. As Jon approached the table Arya quickly scoured over to give him a hug before sitting backdown patting the sit next to her. Somehow Arya could tell whenever something was bothering Jon and for that he was truly grateful.

After eating their meal, the children were sent off to their lessons. Jon would join Robb and Theon for training with Ser Rodrick. Arya frowned and asked her mother why she had to listen to the stupid Septa instead of train with her brothers. Lady Stark glared at Jon as he walked by and internally was blaming him for turning her sweet girl into such a nightmare, damn his bastard blood.

"Grab a sword and begin sparring. Jon today you will be training with Heath." Commanded Ser Rodrick.

Jon nodded to Ser Rodrick and headed to grab a wood sword.

"Why the hell you grabbing a wood sword boy? Were not going to be playing knights and maidens." Said Heath with a laugh.

"But Ser Rodrick always has us use them." Answered Jon with Confusion.

"Well today you're not fighting against highborn pricks who will go and cry to Lord Stark that you hurt them so grab a live steel sword." Commanded Heath with growing announce, you say one remark about Lady Stark and you get sentenced to training brats.

Jon grabbed a steel sword he was not going to put up a fuss. As Heath and Jon slowly circled each other, Jon flipped the blade around in his hand to get a better grip. It was a huge mistake before Jon had a good gripe, a blade was flying towards him he had to bend backwards to avoid a hit which would have token of his head. A smile began to grace Jon's lip. As Jon sprung up he attacked Heath with multiple swings. Heath blocked or parried each swipe. Their seemed to be no weakness to Heath's stance expect he took a couple seconds to reposition himself after each swing. Jon waited for his chance to strike and as he was beginning his swing Heath grabbed his sword arm midmotion and headbutted Jon turning his vision black.


	3. Meetings and Trials

A cold hand grasped Jon's shoulder and roughly shook him awake.

"Wake up boy!" shouted an old looking frail man who had short white hair and a sizable beard.

"Who are you?" asked Jon with confusion.

"I have been called by many names within my vast lifetime." Answered the elder man as he began to walk off into the distance having his traces covered by snow.

Jon wondered how the hell he got here. Who the hell was the damn old man? He needed to find answers to his question, with determination Jon headed off into the coming storm hoping to find the old man.

"It took you long enough to make up your mind boy. Maybe we made a mistake in choosing you. Only time will tell." Said the old man with condescension.

"Who are you? How did I get here? What do you mean choose me?" asked Jon as he slowly approached the old man.

"You're not very good at listening boy. You don't need to know who I am, you only need to know that I am your friend not your enemy." Answered the old man with frustration why did it have to be this boy.

"Fine don't tell me your name! Can't you least tell me how in the seven hells I got here from Winterfell?" asked Jon with growing frustration if the old man did not give him any answer then he would just start looking for someone else to help him in this frozen hell hole.

"Your still in Winterfell's court yard. I just thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to show you what the true enemy looks like." Said the old man as he reached his finger out to lightly touch Jon's forehead.

Images of men made of ice riding ice spiders filled Jon's head. With each step the men took towards Jon more of the surrounding world turned into a winter wasteland. Air began to escape Jon's lungs when he made eye contact with what he believed were the ice men's leader. Jon tried to slow down his heart and forced himself to take calming deep breaths, no air would flow through his lungs it was as if his blood was frozen solid.

"Jon!" shouted the old man as he slapped Jon's face over and over again.

"Who where they?" asked a very frightened Jon whose face was pale as a ghost.

"They are the enemy. Your people know them as the white walkers." Answered the old man as he looked deep into Jon's eyes trying to see if they were still the same color as before.

"You have to be jesting the white walkers have been dead for thousands of years." Said Jon with a light chuckle that quickly ended when he saw the old man's face.

"The stories you were told as a babe were a lie the real story is a lot bloodier." Said the old man as he reached out his finger and waited for Jon to decide if he wanted the real story or not.

Jon leaned forward and let the finger lightly graze his forehead.

A woman with long black hair sat down near a heart tree saying a prayer for her lover as he went off to war with her father. The young man was not of noble birth he had to earn everything that came his way. He asked the girls father if he could marry her the answer he received was that of blood. Three of his friends who came with him not trusting the chief were forced down to their knee's and their heads were token off and kicked towards him. The man claimed that he would have vengeance and traveled all throughout the land recruiting any man or women who wanted to make a name for themselves. The father of the women called for every woods witch in the area, he had a plan to curse the boy. The boy was lured to the palace with honeyed words of peace and a wedding. As soon as the boy stepped foot into the castle he was bound in chains and dragged before the royal family. As the lovers looked into each other's eyes for one last time a tear slid down the woman's face. A knife found home in the man heart and his body was left out in the gods wood for the animals to feast on.

The vision quickly turned black and Jon woke up to see the face of the old man. Jon felt that there was more to the tale than the old man was willing to show Jon.

"You have been here for to long. I need to send you back before your body dies." Said the old man as he reached forward and push Jon's shoulder.

Jon awoke in the courtyard of Winterfell crowed by Robb, Ser Rodrick, and Heath.

"Are you alright?" asked a worried Robb who moments ago thought that Jon was dead. No matter how many times Ser Rodrick shock his shoulder or slapped him across the face Jon body would not stir, they even poured a bucket of water on him to no avail.

"You had me worried they're for a second Snow. Why don't sit down and catch your breath for a while." Said Ser Rodrick as he lightly grasped Jon's shoulder as he walked away to put away the weapons.

Jon nodded his head showing that he heard what was said. Jon slowly got up from his position on the ground with the help of both Robb and Heath. As Jon began to stumble towards the benches he felt a hand grab his arm and put it around their shoulders.

"Got to make sure you don't fall and hurt yourself worst." Said Robb with a smile as he leads Jon towards the seat and helped him get settled before taking off to resume his training.

"You did a decent job in the fight Snow." Said Heath as he sat down right next to Jon.

"I still lost." Said Jon with a frown.

"Have you ever heard the saying that you learn more from losing than wining?" asked Heath with a frown why could this boy not just take a compliment and it be the end of it.

"I can't afford to lose. I already get looked down on and have to work twice as hard as Robb or Theon to get any recognition." Said Jon with a slight tremor in his voice.

"Damn anyone who doesn't believe in you. All that matters in this world is what you do for yourself, so stop comparing yourself to Robb, Theon, hell even lord Stark. You're a Snow own it make it yours." Said Heath while he looked straight into Jon's eyes challenging him to question him.

"Will you teach me how to fight?" asked Jon with determination he needed to get better for what was to come.

"You already know how to fight like a highborn lord." Answered Heath.

"Then teach me how to fight like a low born." Said Jon.

"A Stark can never fight like a lowborn, we don't give a shit about honor if a man is down you do not allow him to yield, you strike hard and true and kill him, can you do that Jon? Could you give up your honor?" asked Heath with curiosity.

"Good thing I am not a Stark." Answered Jon with a smirk.

"Fine I'll teach you every dirty trick and underhand move I know. It won't be easy you might not even make it through one day." Said Heath as he got up from his seat and offered Jon his hand to shake to signify the deal was made.

Jon grabbed Heath's hand and gave him a firm handshake. Jon could not be weak anymore if he had to lose his honor than he would. He was afraid of what was to come if he stayed on his path of honor during a time when war was quickly approaching. Jon began to train with Heath every single morning and slowly improved in his combat as well as his survival skills, each night when Jon would head off to bed his body was sporting new bruises. On a morning after training for two months Heath asked Jon to join him in the gods wood. Heath had come up with a test for Jon they would set off into the woods and Jon would have to survive on his own in the wild and would not be allowed back in camp until a week had passed.

Jon grabbed a sword, an axe, and a bow from camp and began to head off deeper into the forest. Sounds of wildlife greeted Jon as he trenched forward looking for some source of water to set up his camp at. After walking for what felt like hours Jon spotted a stream and decided that it was as good a place as any to set up camp. After a few days of fishing Jon ran out of firewood that was near by so he decided that he should pile up on fire wood from now on.

Off in the distance Jon spotted a fallen Tree. Grabbing his axe Jon began to walk towards the tree to gather firewood. The closer that Jon got to the tree the more eerie feeling he had in the pit of his stomach. A small voice was telling him to head back to camp and worry about getting more supplies later. Jon decided that he would ignore that voice and kept on walking towards the fallen tree. Instant regret filled Jon when he saw what took down the tree, it was a giant black bear that had made eye contact with him. Before he knew what was happening the bear began to charge and his legs took over as he sprinted away as fast as he could. Jon looked back to see how far away the animal was which was mistake, he missed a branch right in front of him that tripped him.

The bears claws dinged themselves into Jon's back. The pain felt as if his entire body was on fire. He needed to calm down and fight back if he was going to survive. The bear reared back its head it let at a loud roar that could be heard all the way in Winterfell. As the bear came back down it snapped its teeth at Jon getting a grip on Jon's arm that he used to protect his neck and snapped the bone half. Jon let out a pained moan and reached with his good arm towards his axe, the bear was having none of this and began to twist its head back and forth dragging Jon around the forest floor. Knowing that his time was short Jon let out a feral howl and began to strike the bear over and over again with axe killing it. After realizing the bear was dead Jon did not stop he kept swinging the axe down and down and down covering himself in a coat of the bears blood and severing the head from the body. After the head rolled away Jon caught his breath and reached his good hand down wetting it with blood and he began to paint his face red, after painting his face Jon grabbed the discarded head and began to walk back towards where Heath would be waiting.

As Jon approached Heath he threw the head towards Heath's feet and announced that he was now finished with his training.


End file.
